REVIEWS Archives - Page 367 of 409

19Jun

By Kiefer WilliamsNo Comments

South East

Labyrinth – Brighton Fringe

This fierce and vibrant feminist monologue written by Mancho Rodriguez and performed by Marta Carvalho is an interesting and quite ambiguous piece of work. The narrator says at the very outset says that she “has killed a man – killed love” but as this unremitting and intense monologue develops we begin to realise that the woman has found herself in a labyrinth of reality and illusion brought on by her own vulnerability and emotional state. Carvalho gives a passionately physical and overpowering performance throughout and she is well served by Mark C Hewitt’s English translation of the original script by Rodriguez. The monologue itself is set in the theatre of expressionism and may not suit everyone’s taste with its intensity and bleakness; also at a running time of nearly an hour,...

18Jun

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

Electric Dreams – Norton Priory Museum

Imagine this setting, your sat on a garden chair eating a picnic and you pop open the champagne. As you relax the sun sets in front of you and the odd plane flies past above your head. You can’t help but fall in love with the relaxing setting. It was a perfect evening to watch the opening night of Electric Dreams a musical adaption of Midsummer Nights Dream (by William Shakespeare) at Norton Priory Museum and Gardens. In a creative partnership with A Place for us. A short synopsis in case you don’t know, Its Midsummer Night in 1980s Athens, four young lovers and a group of workmen 'wannabe' actors find themselves entranced and entrapped in an enchanted forest where Rock Diva Fairies rule and a mischievous sprite is hell bent on causing havoc…what could possibly go wrong? The show...

18Jun

By Johanna RobertsNo Comments

North West

Y’MAM – Everyman Theatre

Different languages express it in different ways – the straw that breaks the camel’s back, the final drop that makes the glass overflow - but all refer to the same moment of when the ‘red mist descends’ and anger takes over. We’ve all seen it – either in real life or on the screen, when ‘it all kicks off’ and a fight breaks out over nothing. Or over what seems like nothing, but as Y’MAM so eloquently explains, for the problem to exist, there must have been ‘an intro to the problem’. Y’MAM – written by and performed by Majid Mehdizadeh (aka Luke Jerdy) – is based on Majid’s own life. Both the writing and the performance are stunning, though there were some moments when the need to convey the energy means individual words were lost, which is a shame, as the use of language is remarkable. ...

Scaramouche Jones or the Seven White Masks – Wilton Music Hall

17Jun

By Gaurav SinghNo Comments

London

Scaramouche Jones or the Seven White Masks – Wilton Music Hall

“50 years to make the clown. 50 years to play the clown.” This closing remark, delivered by the centenarian clown Scaramouche as he waits for the clock to strike midnight and usher in the new millennium, is perhaps the closest to capturing the essence of this astonishing odyssey of the 20th century. Scaramouche Jones or the Seven White Masks recounts the extraordinary life of a man’s journey through crumbling empires, comic misadventures, dark episodes and tragic discoveries on a quest to understand why he is who he is. From tales of his birth in slim alleys of Trinidad and his escapades on the busy streets of Milan, to the haunting memories of concentration camps in Eastern Europe and the exhilaration of finally being on English soil, this text not only gives us a glimpse into what wen...

Opera North: A Night at the Opera – The Lowry

17Jun

By Adam WilliamsNo Comments

North West

Opera North: A Night at the Opera – The Lowry

The last performance Opera North gave before lockdown in March 2020 was at The Lowry so it seems somehow appropriate that they should come out of their enforced hibernation to perform an evening of popular opera classics at the same venue. Also, this was the first time I have seen anything live since then and I have to say it was absolutely wonderful to see performers in the flesh, to feel their emotions and admire their talent. Online performances have got us through this terrible time but there is nothing like the real thing. The cavernous auditorium of the Lyric theatre was, because of Covid restrictions, mostly empty. Even though the audience was small it was extremely appreciative of a wonderful night’s entertainment. Paul Daniel, the conductor, was a charming and witty tour ...

16Jun

By Kiefer WilliamsNo Comments

REVIEWS

Leather – Finborough Theatre

Homo Promos present this staged reading of Peter Scott-Presland’s seminal queer work that caused a lot of controversy in the early nineties. The play’s main theme resolves around gay domestic abuse both physically and mentally. It’s not an easy watch but then that’s the whole point of Scott-Presland’s outstanding piece of theatre; it leaves the audience asking many questions about relationships and offers pertinent discussion on important issues surrounding consent and non-consensual abuse. The original play, which was performed at the Finborough Theatre came up against many obstacles one of which was Thatcher’s horrendously damaging Section 28 which prevented “the promotion of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship” thus demeaning the whole purpose of what the play was try...

16Jun

By Harriet AndrewsNo Comments

North West

Opera North: Fidelio – The Lowry

The story of Fidelio is a simple one. Leonore (Rachel Nicholls) under the guise of a man (Fidelio) infiltrates a Spanish prison in order to free her husband Florestan (Toby Spence), who is a political prisoner. Meanwhile Don Pizarro (Robert Hayward), the governor of the prison and very man responsible for the wrongful imprisonment of Florestan intends to kill him before Don Fernando (Matthew Stiff) can arrive and uncover the cruelty taking place within the prison walls. The orchestra, conducted by Paul Daniel, was magnificent. Being socially distanced and taking up most of the stage, it was a different setup, and one which the musicians will have grown accustomed too, but the sound was rich, textured and balanced, and I would have been quite content to listen to it all night. O...

For The Grace of You Go I – Theatr Clwyd

15Jun

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

Wales

For The Grace of You Go I – Theatr Clwyd

Last night was the opening night at Theatr Clwyd’s latest production of ‘For the grace of you go I’ the synopsis of the show is stated as “Adding meats to pizzas, Jim’s life is going nowhere. But watching I Hired A Contract Killer, he finds a solution – he will just put out a hit on himself. What could possibly go wrong?” A darkly funny new comedy. The show lasted 80 mins in duration. From the moment you walk in you feel immersed. The visual effects were eye-catching and your drawn into the performance. I felt that the performance was tense and resonated with how society can perceive disability. Both in and out of the workplace. It resonated with me personally. As I have been subjected to some of the ridicule shown within the peace. I found it to be thought provoking and it was ni...

14Jun

By Blathine MaguireNo Comments

North West

The Play Scratch Night – Online

I think it is fair to say the arts have been hit hard during the COVID19 pandemic with the closure of theatres, music venues and everything in between but what is quite beautiful, is that the amazingly passionate people of the art world have not stopped writing or creating new drama for the world to see. Liverpool has been lucky enough to still have its own arts festival running at this time. The LightNight festival has given hope to the people of Liverpool over the last while by showcasing everything from large-scale light projections and live music to workshops on spoken word, art, crafts and theatre. LightNight has also seen a string of events such as street performance, walking tours, dancing and late-opening exhibitions taking place right across the city centre. LightNight is pr...

Psychodrama – Never for Ever, Kentish Town

14Jun

By Gaurav SinghNo Comments

London

Psychodrama – Never for Ever, Kentish Town

Psychodrama is a gripping one-person show about an ageing actress under investigation for the murder of an auteur theatre director. Written and directed by Matt Wilkinson, and performed by Emily Bruni, this 70-minute long monologue presents a sharp, incisive take on the cut-throat nature of show business and the toll it takes on the lives of those who choose to be in it. Through the eyes of its titular character, a middle-aged actress on the brink of being forgotten, we are introduced to the everyday realities of a creative struggling in an overly competitive industry – a dead-end job that demands more energy than what it deserves, the frustration of maintaining relationships that don’t actually serve you, the occasional self-indulgent purchases that remind you of just how broke you are...